I was driving today listening to a documentary on CBC radio. I missed the start but it was very interesting. It was all about the art of writing a letter. People gathering together to simply write letters.

Now with all the ways to communicate one may think that this is a timeworn format something to be tossed aside. I disagree, I think many would. Yes, I am writing this on my computer. I suffer from the decline of the handwritten letter. My spelling sucks, penmanship isn’t much better and then how do I get the word out.

Modern communications definitely has its place. But there is something about a handwritten note. Whether it’s a little surprise note in someone’s lunch or a detailed letter conveying deep emotion. A quote that jumped out at me and really made me think was:

“a letter is like a photograph into your past. It was where you were at , what you were feeling at that time.”

I think this strikes closer to home as I am presently working away from home and I am missing my family. I remember when I first would go away and I would receive an write letters. There are reasons why mail from home is so important to the military. It takes you away from you and back home. It’s an amazing feeling. I still remember the letters I have received. The twenty page book I received from my parents when I was away the first time for my birthday. Each page had a letter on it. Yes I blushed when I had to unfold it in front of everyone. We all enjoyed it.

Today we have Skype and email just to name a few. They are great and they do help a lot with connecting home. But there is nothing better than getting that handwritten note!